Entry Requirements and 11+
Joining Churston is the start of something remarkable. Here's everything you need to know about how entry to Year 7 works - and how to give your child their best chance.
Churston Ferrers Grammar School is a state-funded selective school - which means we admit students who demonstrate a strong academic aptitude, assessed through the 11+ test. Selection isn't about excluding children; it's about finding the right environment for the right learner. When a student joins a school pitched at their level, surrounded by peers who share their curiosity and drive, something powerful happens. They feel at home. They grow. They thrive. That's what selective education, at its best, looks like - and it's what we've built here over more than six decades.
What we're looking for is academic readiness, honest assessment, the right fit.
Academic readiness
We're looking for students who are genuinely ready for a fast-paced, academically ambitious curriculum. That doesn't mean perfection - it means curiosity, capability, and the willingness to work hard.
What the test assesses
The 11+ test focuses strictly on English and Maths. It is designed to assess the core knowledge and skills that any child, in any primary school, would be expected to have learned by the end of Year 5. There are no verbal or non-verbal reasoning papers - just a fair evaluation of your child's everyday learning.
What we're really looking for
Beyond the score, we believe the best Churstonians are kind, resilient, and eager to contribute. The 11+ is the door - but who your child is matters just as much as what they can do on the day.
Step 1
Register your interest
Let us know you're considering Churston. Registering your interest means you'll receive all the information you need about the 11+ test, key dates, and open events.
Step 2
Sit the 11+ test
Taking place in September of Year 6, the test is administered by GL Assessment and evaluates English and Maths. It is designed around standard primary school learning up to the end of Year 5. There is one sitting for entry, and we encourage families to review the sample assessment materials available directly on the GL Assessment website.
Step 3
Receive a guidance letter
Guidance letters are issued to families within a few weeks of the test. You'll be told whether your application to a grammar school is likely to be successful. If this is the case, the next step is to apply for a place.
Step 4
Apply via your local authority
Places at Churston are applied for through your local authority's common application form (CAF), alongside any other secondary school preferences. This is the standard local authority admissions process - Churston is part of the same system. If you live in Torbay, you will apply through Torbay Council. If you live in Devon, you will apply through Devon County Council.
Step 5
Receive your offer
Offers are made on National Offer Day - 1 March - for entry in the following September. We'll be delighted to welcome your child to the Churston community.
The test typically takes place in September of Year 6 - so for a September Year 7 start, your child would sit the test the previous autumn. We'll publish the specific date each year as soon as it's confirmed. Registering your interest is the best way to make sure you don't miss it.
The 11+ tests English and maths. These areas are designed to give a clear, rounded picture of your child's ability and academic potential. The test is standardised so every child sits the same paper under the same conditions.
There is a standardised pass mark, but the exact threshold changes year on year depending on the cohort. We'd rather talk you through this properly than reduce it to a number on a page - please get in touch with our admissions team, who will be happy to give you the most up-to-date guidance.
No. Your child can only sit the 11+ test at one selective school in Torbay. It’s usually best to register with the school you most hope they will attend, but the guidance letter you receive after the test will indicate whether they have reached the standard for all of the Torbay selective schools that use the same assessment.
This is something we hear often, and we want to reassure you. Anxiety doesn't mean a child isn't suited to Churston - many of our students have found that, once they're here, they thrive in a community of like-minded peers where they no longer feel out of place. If your child has particular needs or circumstances that you feel are relevant to their performance on the day, please contact our admissions team before the test. We'll always do our best to make sure every child has a fair opportunity.
We work hard to make the move from primary school as smooth as possible. Once places are confirmed, we're in regular contact with families and our partner primary schools to share information and begin the process of getting to know your child. We hold dedicated transition days in the summer term, and your child will start in September as part of a tutor group that quickly becomes their anchor point. The first few weeks at Churston are designed with belonging in mind - and most students find that they settle in faster than they expected.
None at all. Churston Ferrers Grammar School is a state-funded grammar school - there are no tuition fees, no admissions fees, and no charges for the core elements of your child's education. We are free to attend at every year group. Some optional activities - such as certain school trips or extra-curricular experiences - may carry a voluntary contribution, but your child's education will never be conditional on any payment.
Sixth Form admissions work differently from Year 7. Applications for Year 12 are made directly to Churston - not through the local authority. We look for students who meet our entry requirements for the A Level subjects they wish to study, and we welcome applications from both our own Year 11 students and external applicants. Details of our Sixth Form entry requirements and the application process are on the Sixth Form section of this website.
No, our admissions policy welcomes applications from children from any primary school. We are based at the south end of Torbay and have traditionally served the communities of Paignton, Brixham and the towns and villages of South Devon.
Yes. Following a determination by the Schools Adjudicator in October 2026, priority for the 15 named primary schools has been removed, sibling priority has been reinstated, and the wording of two parts of the policy has been clarified. Priority for children eligible for free school meals, Pupil Premium or Service Pupil Premium remains. We will consult on arrangements for 2028 entry in December and January.
"We couldn’t be happier with our daughter’s first two terms at secondary school. The school is delivering exactly what was promised at open evenings and information sessions which we attended. I have been incredibly impressed with the approachability and kindness of the staff we have met so far."
"We have been really impressed with Churston so far. Our son has settled in extremely well and is clearly enjoying his time at the school. We greatly appreciate the time, variety, and effort that go into the extra-curricular activities, particularly the sporting opportunities. It has also been wonderful to see our son already thinking more deeply about potential career paths, which seems to be helping him stay focused and motivated in his work."
"I have 2 children at Churston. Both have had an exceptional experience. Varied subjects, outstanding support and they have both been very happy. Thank you for making their secondary school education such a positive one."
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